1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with the field of power electronics. It relates to a controllable power semiconductor component, comprising at least one planar, essentially rectangular power semiconductor chip, which power semiconductor chip has on its top side a large-area metallization layer for the large-area electrical connection to a metal mating element, and also comprising a separate small-area connection region for the gate connection in the form of a gate pad.
Such a power semiconductor component is known, for example, in the form of an IGBT module in the prior art.
2. Discussion of the Background
High-power IGBT modules are subject to very stringent service life and reliability requirements, especially in the traction field. This applies, in particular, to the installation and connection of the individual power semiconductor chips in the module. Such power semiconductor chips 1 and 7 are illustrated in plan view in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. In order to increase the reliability of the connection between the top side of the installed power semiconductor chips 1, 7 and the module body in comparison with a simple bond, it is possible, given a corresponding large-area metallization layer 2 and 8, respectively, and insulation of the gate runner regions 3 and 9, respectively, on the chip, for a metal mating element 5 and 11, respectively, (for example a molybdenum disk or a metal punch) to be soldered onto the top side of the component. Analogously to the bonding wires, this metal mating element 5, 11 must distribute the current as uniformly as possible over the area of the chip. This produces the requirement that as far as possible the entire emitter metallization layer 2, 8 of the chip 1, 7 be covered by the soldered-on metal. Some of the resulting surface shapes of the metal mating element are complex, having corresponding cutouts 6 and 12, respectively, which entail additional costs and at the same time require a high outlay on adjustment.
In the case of the known IGBT designs, such as are represented by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gate pad 4 and 10, respectively, for the gate connection is arranged either in the center of the chip (FIG. 1) or in the center of an outer side of the chip (FIG. 2). It thus becomes almost impossible to find a metal mating element which has a simple shape, satisfies the task of uniform current distribution and at the same time does not require a great deal of adjustment.